Press Freedom Day : Kashmiri journalists walking line of fire

By Nusrat Sidiq

SRINAGAR, May 3 : Jammu and Kashmir: An aspiring journalist in Indian-administered Kashmir grew dejected after reading the news about Masrat Zahra, a photojournalist swept up in a draconian law over her Facebook posts.

Zahra was booked April 18 under the Unlawful Activities Act (UAPA), a move shaking the region’s journalistic fraternity and the small number of female journalists and students.

Ifrah Shafi’s passion for writing drove her to journalism, and she is bewildered by such action against journalists and against the photographer.

“Since the day I read the news about it, I am in depression. I don’t know what to do. I am not able to figure out whether to take the journalism course further or to leave it,” said Ifrah.

The same anxiety was expressed by the region’s female journalists who said they are not able to work freely.

Freelance journalist Safina Nabi told Anadolu Agency she never felt this kind of threat in her six-year career.

She said for a female journalist it has become more difficult to cope with situations when there are pressures from every side.

“What can you do in this scenario, when you are booked for your work and you find you have no say at all?” Nabi said.

After Masrat was charged, Nabi dropped the idea of doing stories related to conflict.

“I automatically started filtering which story I should do and which I should not. The impact of the Masrat news was such that I stopped one of my editors from publishing a story,” she said.

Masrat was not the only reporter charged for social media posts. Senior journalist and writer Gowhar Geelani was charged under the same act and for the same reason.

Peerzada Ashiq was questioned over his story police claimed was “fake.”

Sword over my head

For one week Zahra is trying to get back to work but is unable to escape the bad thoughts which pop into her mind since she was charged.

She told Anadolu Agency she feels it is a sword hanging above her head because there was only verbal assurance of her getting arrested from the police but the case still exists.

“I am mentally drained. Whenever, I try to move out for work, I feel like a cop is following and he might arrest me at any point in time- bringing lot more anxiety,” said Zahra. “Today I feel threatened for my life and this threat has come in view of my journalistic work.”

Press freedom

A recent Reporters Without Borders report said India has dropped two spots to 142 in the World Press Freedom Index, citing Narendra Modi government’s “tightening” grip on the media and pressuring it to “toe the Hindu nationalist government’s line.”

It said India’s rank is heavily affected by the situation in Kashmir, where it has become “virtually impossible” for journalists to work.

Mohammad Mouzam, vice president of the Kashmir Press Club, an elected body of the journalists in the region, told Anadolu Agency constant intimidation and harassment of journalists has long occurred but it has become a “routine affair” since the Indian government downgraded the semi-autonomous status of the region

Since Aug. 5 last year, when a lockdown by Indian officials began, “journalists have faced all sorts of trouble. From police beatings to pressuring to reveal their sources – it has come a long way.

“And now the situation has arisen where journalists are being charged under draconian laws which is unfortunate and scary,” he said,

International media watchdogs have condemned police action against journalists in the region and have demanded immediate withdrawal of charges while demanding the government stop attacking press freedom.

Disputed region

Kashmir is held by India and Pakistan in parts and claimed both in full. A small sliver of Kashmir is also held by China.

Since they were partitioned in 1947, the two countries have fought three wars – in 1948, 1965 and 1971 – two of them over Kashmir.

Some Kashmiri groups in Jammu and Kashmir have been fighting against Indian rule for independence, or unification with neighboring Pakistan.

According to several human rights organizations, thousands of people have reportedly been killed in the conflict in the region since 1989. AA

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3 COMMENTS

  1. False Flags by the Hindoo state in IOK

    The “so called terror attacks”,in IOK (Indian Occupied Kashmir),are ALL false flag operations ,carried out by the Indian Army,and the RAW – with the primary aims,of keeping IOK,under a perpetual state of curfew, denial of rights,AFSPA – and maligning the Pakistani State,and the Pakistani People.dindooohindoo

    AK-47

    The freedom struggle is IOK,is obviously supported by their people,from across the border in AK (Azad Kashmir) – who cross the border into IOK,to support and arm,the freedom struggle – against an obvious injustice – which has umpteen precedents,in Pre and Post Abrahamic wars.

    The Indian DNA

    Indians are a primitive,backward,heathen and menial race of depraved,debauched and pillaged limpets – who derive sadistic satisfaction and retribution,w.r.t. the genocide inflicted,on the Kashmiri people.They do not have the intellectus,to see through the juvenile,but nefarious designs,of the draconian Indian state – which is evidenced by,the history of slavery and servility,of the Indian People,to the Sakas,Sythians,Huns,Chinese,Afghans,Turks,Abysinians and the British.

    Fool-wama and IED-C

    The Fool-wama attack,was an “archetypical false flag operation” – mastered by the Indian state – in IOK,and the Naxal dominated jungles.The advantage of the “IED Cinderella (IED-C)”,is that,it can be used by the state to inflate the death count,and no one comes at the site (for photos and forensics) – as it is in a terror zone,and the state claims that the site has to be preserved,for state operated forensics,photos,investigation and DNA analysis.In some cases,the state claimed,that the site was compromised/damaged,due to weather/rainfall !

    The 2nd advantage of the IED-C,is that the dead bodies are in pieces and mangled – and so,the Indian State can pass off anybody’s dead body,as that of a soldier.This makes the post mortem and DNA cover up, by the forensics – easy – as multiple bodies are blown to smithreens.

    The 3rd advantage of the IED-C is that – in the case of Naxals – the state claims that it cannot patrol every inch of roads and pass ways in jungles – even with Sat cover.In addition,in IOK and Naxal areas,it is easy to explain the use of IEDs,by stating that it was stolen from mining and construction activities.

    HOWEVER,in Fool-wama – RDX was used – which is not used ,in Mining or Fishing or Diwali ! It was packed in a vehicle,which drove for kilometers,on the wrong direction of the 1 way-road,in the early morning hours – and crossed,2 manned checkposts ! It can be assumed,that there was a drone,in front of the military convoy – which failed to detect the IED packed vehicle ! This is Cinderella,in a vehicle !

    The families of the dead soldiers – did not see the dead bodies or the faces of the soldiers – they were burnt WITH the Wooden coffins or extracted and burnt with the white cloth coffin wrapped.No one know whose body was cremated – or if it was a human !

    Single Kill Attacks

    Freedom fighters from AK (Azad Kashmir) whose war started from 1947 – will obviously use AK-47s,as 47 is a perfect prime number.

    Sample these kills where multiple Indian Army officers,were killed by the Freedom fighters.These are not sniper or IED hits.It is a close combat encounter !

    https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/colonel-major-among-5-personnel-killed-in-jks-handwara/article31493302.ece
    https://www.livemint.com/news/india/3-crpf-soldiers-killed-in-kashmir-after-terrorists-open-fire-11587219061392.html

    How can 18-21 year olds,trained for 3-6 months,kill Indian Army officers,at will and escape ? Of course,Indians are a race of wimps and cowards,as per many,but this is beyond the pathetos of insanity.

    This is also a false flag,as the dead bodies are those of wimps killed in military exercises or firing ranges of accidental discharges/explosions.Immediately, after the fake killing, the Indian media starts hyper-vitriol-ling,and then,the Indian Army gets some dead bodies of Kashmiris (killed in torture),and passes them off,as terrorists,killed in revenge.

    The Post mortem report of the Indian army is not available to the public – along with the videos of the post mortem – as that will blow apart the bogus story.On top of that the Indian Army,also uses the AK-47 !

    Another innovation of the Indian,is that the dead bodies decomposed (in the snow !) or were eaten by animals,or were disfigured by the Pakistanis ! This is also done by the Indian state, to ensure that the family DOES NOT SEE THE FACE or the DEAD BODY,of the soldiers.

    This completes the false flag – and it is a juvenile methodology (Made By Israel),but it works,as Indians and the Indian Media,are Duds and Dullards.

    Y not Delhi and Mumbai

    No one asks – Y can the Pakistani state not do the “so called terror attacks”,in Delhi or Mumbai ? It is simple ! False Flag attacks cannot be done in Delhi and Mumbai -as there are 40 million witnesses !

    That is Y the 26/11 false flag did not recur – and all the police officers – who led the Indian military assault,were killed,at close range,and their post mortem reports are an “unknown quantity”.

    Y Indians do these antics

    Besides the 1.2 billion Indian Duds – no one else believes the Indian Cinderella stories.So Y do they do it ?

    The Chrono-metrics

    The timing of the dubious false flags,by the Indians,are coordinated with the following Chronologies,related to the Pakistani state,listed as under :

    FATF Meetings and decisions – for interim or other relief,to the Pakistani state
    UNSC/OIC /GCC meetings – for anti-pakistan resolutions,or declaring someone a terrorist Polls In India – Pre-election period in India – if the state wants to turn the tide
    US Senate hearings – for anti-pakistan resolutions or declaring someone a terrorist,or castigating the Kashmiri freedom struggle
    UNHRC reports and hearings – same as above
    UN Observer meetings and reports in Kashmir – to create disturbances,to obviate the meetings and reports
    IMF and WB aid meetings – To ensure that Pakistan gets no aid,or no relief,in the aid terms
    Saudi/Kuwait/Turkish/Malaysian aid and trips to Pakistan – same as above
    CPEC financial and technical closure dates – to ensure that the political and financial risk,of the project is imperiled

    If you map the above chronology,with the dates of the “false flag attacks” – they will just precede the chronology,by a maximum of 21 days – just,as a matter of pure providence.

    Naturally,all the plans of the Indians have failed – the Kashmiris of IOK and AK,are mortal enemies of the Indians – and a new axis of Pakistan-PRC-Turkey,has been formed.In due course,it will be joined by Russia,and perhaps the Saudis.

  2. And here comes,the false flag

    Within 20 days,of my post

    And again,in Pulwama ! dindooohindoo

    This time – even more dubious

    https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/watch-controlled-explosion-rips-car-seized-from-terrorist-in-jammu-and-kashmir-pulwama-2236448
    https://www.timesnownews.com/india/article/hizbul-terrorist-owner-of-explosives-laden-car-meant-to-carry-out-pulwama-attack-repeat-identified-pic/598668
    https://indianexpress.com/article/india/major-blast-averted-in-pulwama-security-forces-recover-car-laden-with-explosives-6430837/

    The man was in a car,with 20 kgs of RDX – SO WHAT ?

    THE CAR WAS NOT RIGGED WITH RDX ! If u drop RDX from 100000 feet in the sky,or have it run over by a train – it will not detonate !

    Kashmir is full of drones,with Night Vision and thermal sensors – especially Pulwama – where the 1st False Flag,took place ! Inspite of that,
    the driver of the car ran, and got away ?

    How ?

    He ran away when he was CONFRONTED at a check post ! CONFRONTED – NOT THAT HE SAW A CHECK POST !

    The man was confronted – AND HE HAD THE TIME TO STOP THE CAR (which was not crashed) and RUN AWAY on foot !

    The Car was not rigged with RDX – BUT IT WAS BLOWN UP ! Y ?

    If the car was forensically tested and videographed – and the enire supply chain of the car was traced – with the chassis numbers,as such
    or removed etc. – Y was the car blown up by the Indian Army ? If the forensic tests were not done – then Y wasthe car blown up ?

    Where is the man who ran away ? He was killed probably a few months ago – and his body will be shown in a few weeks !

    The Truth !

    There was no RDX
    No Car
    No Man in the Car
    No Bomber
    No RDX rigged with the Car

    A classic False Flag by the Hindoo !

    WHat is the definition of a Hindoo ? dindooohindoo

    The wisdom of the “children of Cyrus,Darius and Xerxes”,encapsulates the “transcendence of Human thought”, the “Deuterosis of the Dindoo”, as under:

    A “Persian dictionary”,titled “Lughet-e-Kishwari”,published in Lucknow in 1964,gives the meaning of the word Hindu as “chore [thief], dakoo [dacoit], raahzan [waylayer], and ghulam [slave].

  3. As I said on May 8, 2020,as under:

    “….and a new axis of Pakistan-PRC-Turkey,has been formed.In due course,it will be joined by Russia,and perhaps the Persians.”

    AND IT HAS COME TRUE !

    VLADIMIR HAS BEEN THE INSTRUMENT !

    THERE IS NO “PERHAPS” for the Persians !

    Russia INCLUDES SYRIA AND BELARUS

    PRC – includes DPRK

    THE PROPHECIES ARE COMING TRUE AND SO WILL THE GHAZWA E HIND AND THE DESTRUCTION OF HINDOOSTHAN.dindooohindoo

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